Literary Conflict

External vs. Internal External External Conflict takes place outside of the character’s body Internal Internal Conflict takes place inside of the character’s body/mind

External There are three types of external conflict

External Person vs. Person The most straightforward type of conflict places the protagonist directly against another character with apparently opposing views.

External Person vs. Nature This type of conflict places a story's main character or characters against a natural force such as a flood, predatory animal, or disease epidemic.

External Person Vs. Society In many stories, the protagonist battles the government or culture. They fight against rules that are supposed to be followed.

Internal There is one type of internal conflict

Internal Person vs. Self Some literary conflicts take the form of a character struggling to overcome fear, emotional damage or other personal issues.

Practice Decide what type of conflict is being illustrated in the following pictures

1. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Nature

2. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Self

3. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Person

4. Person vs. PersonNatureSocietySelf Society

5. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Self

6. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Nature

7. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Society

8. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Person

Practice Now that you have mastered pictures, let’s try some text!

9. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf “If the ship had only proceeded more slowly. If it had only taken the Southerly route, avoiding the icebergs. If only the watchman had a pair of binoculars.” (news story about the Titanic) Nature

10. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Charles decided to break all the rules the day he decided to steal that car. He was immediately arrested and sent to jail to await his trial. He should have known better than to mess with the “rules.” Society

11. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf “I don’t care who you talk to!” screamed Sarah to West. “I just wish I had never met you!” Person

12. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf After lowering himself into the damp and dark cave Tom began to blame himself for not having replaced his flashlight batteries. Tom’s terror slowly began to take over as the light around him grew dimmer and dimmer and dimmer. Self

13. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf After the light in the cave was completely gone Tom began to stumble through the cave blindly cutting his hands on what appeared to be sharp rocks. Nature

14. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Tom found a dry spot to sit down in the dark and began to obsess over an argument he had had earlier in the day with his mother in which he had said, “I hope I never see you again!” Person

15. Person vs. ? PersonNatureSocietySelf Tom’s mother was upset that he wanted to skip going to college in order to go spelunking in all of the world’s greatest caves before he turned thirty. His mother believed all young people should go to college to “better themselves”. Tom didn’t understand the big deal, he didn’t really believe in structured “learning” anyway. Society